Bun Cha Huong Lien

Where Obama and Bourdain ate — the 'combo Obama' is still on the menu

Bun cha is a Hanoian specialty distinct from the pho and banh mi that get most of the international attention: grilled pork patties and sliced pork belly served in a bowl of light dipping broth alongside a plate of vermicelli noodles and a tray of fresh herbs. You combine them yourself at the table, dipping the noodles and herbs into the broth. Huong Lien has been serving it from this narrow building on Le Van Huu Street since long before anyone photographed presidents eating here.

The "combo Obama" is exactly what you'd expect: bun cha, nem ran (fried spring rolls), and a Hanoi beer. The restaurant now operates on several floors to accommodate demand, and the ground floor — where the famous meal happened — is always the most crowded. Despite the celebrity status, the food is honest and the price remains accessible. Come for lunch rather than dinner; bun cha is a midday meal in Hanoi and the kitchen is at its best between 11am and 2pm.

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A story
On May 23, 2016, Barack Obama was in Hanoi on an official state visit. Anthony Bourdain had arranged to meet him for dinner at Bun Cha Huong Lien, a place Bourdain knew well. The two men sat at a plastic table on the ground floor, ate bun cha and fried spring rolls, and drank Hanoi beer. The bill came to about six dollars each. The episode of 'Parts Unknown' that came from that evening was among the most widely viewed of the show's run, and the restaurant immediately became one of the most famous in the world. The table they used, the bottles of beer, and the check are now encased in glass on the wall.

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